Apparel-belt.



UNITED STA-"Tits PATENT OFFICE.

iatented September 29, 1903.

BELLE B. McCULLOOH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPAREL-BELT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .'l';atent No. 739,902, dated September 29, 1 903. Application filed November 22, 1902. Serial No. 132,372. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BELLE B. McCULLocH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of,N'ew York, borough of Brooklyn, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparel- Belts, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of the present invention is an apparel-belt more especially designed for ladies use, and has for its principal object the equipment of such a belt with a simple device both exclusively located and secured at the inner side of the belt and by the act of the application of the rear portion of the latter to the person of the wearer engage and retain the waistband of the skirt to positively support the same and prevent the separation of the belt and waistband.

Various devices have been combined with ladies belts for engagement with the apparel, but in all such arrangements with which I- am familiar the supporting devices when capable of engaging the apparel by the act of adjusting the beltlrear were not only of comparatively complicated character, but their employment was objectionably manifested at the belt exterior. where the engaging and supporting device was both exclusively located and secured on the inner side of the belt said device re-- cation of the rear portion of said belt of becoming engaged with the skirt-waistband to securely retain the same.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a per spective view of a clamp-belt having my improvement applied thereto. .Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view representing the upper or waist portion of a skirt and the improved belt in relation thereto, the section being indicated approximately in the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached view showing in perspective the en- In a single prior instance adhesive cement applied thereto.

of and illustrating a modification.

Similar reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings wherein they occur.

A represents the body of a belt, which may be of any suitable material and character. I have represented the belt as being provided at its free ends with the clasped members A, but it will be obvious that any suitable fastening provision may be employed. On'the inner side of the belt-bodyA and preferably at a point corresponding with its mid-length I locate a metal device B, which is of the general configuration. most clearly indicated in Fig. 3 and embodies in a yoke form of wire a transverse horizontal bar I), vertically-depending parallel members I), and pointed extensions b having rounded bends and upwardly-turned and arranged with respect to the members I), so that the extreme pointed portions extend somewhat back upon or toward the belt-body. This wire device is securely fastened-on the inner side of the beltbody, as before indicated. The provision for fastening the device, according to Fig. 1, comprises vertical and horizontal sections 0 c of flexible but tough material, such as tawed leather. These sections 0 c are disposed so that the former is arranged between the pointed ends and overlies the transverse horizontal bar I). The section 0 extends across and in front of the vertical member I), but at the rear of the pointed ends I). These parts are securely attached tothe inner surface of the belt-body by having some strong In lieu of or in addition to suchcement-these sections may be fastened in position by a marginal row of stitching, .as indicated by 0 The parts are so arranged and adjusted that the wire device will be securely and firmly held in position.

With a view of further insuring the secure retention of the device B in position, I prefer in the manufacture of the same to make them from metal having numerous surface barbs or spurs 11 as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3, said barbs or spurs being disposed along the horizontal bar I) and vertically-depending members I), the pointed extensions, however, being smooth-surfaced or plain. With the barbs or spurs arranged as shown it will be readily comprehended that when the device is applied against the belt and securing or covering strips are arranged over the same, as explained, the barbs or spurs will, to a limited extent, become embedded both in the inner surface of the belt-body as well as the material constituting the overlying strip.

It will be noted by reference more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 that the turns or bends of the pointed extensions 11 are such that after the application of the belt, so that said extensions engage the skirt material, their extreme pointed portions will extend somewhat back toward or upon the belt-body, thus avoiding any tendency of the points to be undesirably or uncomfortably forced in the direction of the person of the wearer under the shifting or changing conditions which the belt incurs during ordinary usage.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a somewhat-modified arrangement in which the securing provision is presented by a series of stitches 0 The stitching is arranged both over the vertical depending members I) as well as the horizontal crossbar b Besides becoming embedded in and engaging the inner-surface material of the belt-body the spurs b in this instance also contribute to prevent the stitching-loops from shifting on the device B.

From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated that an apparel-belt equipped with my invention will be highly serviceable and not subject to the objection urged against those arrangements wherein the presence of the waistband engaging devicesis externally manifest. It will also be understood that the wire device itself is comparatively simple, can be made in extended lots at comparatively small cost, and maybe readily applied and depending members, the latter with upward-pointed extensions bent toward the belt, together with means also exclusively at the inner side of the belt for permanently securing both the transverse bar and depending members against said inner side, the arrangewent being such that the wire device and its fastening means are neatly masked at the belt exterior, and said device is capable of efficiently engaging the apparel by the mere application of the rear portion of the belt to the person.

2. An apparel-belt having intermediately at its rear, a wire device located exclusively on the inner side thereof, said device consisting of the upper transverse horizontal bar and depending members the latter with smooth extensions bent upward toward the belt and pointed, said bar and members being barbed as described, and means also exclusively at the inner side of the belt for permanently securing both the bar and members against said inner side, the arrangement being such that the wire device and its fastening means are neatly masked at the belt exterior and said device is capable of efficiently 8o engaging the apparelby the mere application of the rear portion of the belt to the person.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BELLE B. MGCULLOCII. I

Witnesses:

. PHILIP K. STERN, II. M. lIoLBRoox. 

